Electric wire dispensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable supporting apparatus for systematically unwinding conduit wire (Romex for example) protectively coiled for use in cardboard cartons of various sizes. It permits the wire to be pulled out and dispensed smoothly without twisting. One man can pull the wire up through walls and wherever else necessary without having to return to the carton to untwist kinks and unmanageable deformations. It comprises a pedestal-type stand, a rotatable carton supporting platform, and piloting and guard means on the post above the platform which guides the free end of the wire to govern it and minimize dispensing difficulties.

United States Patent [72] inventor RalphH.Collmann Hartley, Iowa 51346[2]] Appl. No 873,913 [22] Filed Nov. 4, 1969 [45] Patented July 20,1971

[54] ELECTRIC WIRE DISPENSING APPARATUS 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

242/lO5,2ll/78 s1 501 Field of Search [56] References Cited I UNlTEDSTATES PATENTS 1,147,680 7/1915 Crawford 1,908,073 5/1933 Spooretal2,954,942 10/1960 LaRaus 242/129 2,985,404 5/1961 Tashiro 242/1283,118,634 1/1964 Shumake, 1. 242/129 Primary Examiner-Leonard D.Christian Attorneys-Clarence A. OBr ien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT:A portable supporting apparatus for systematically unwinding conduitwire (Romex for example) protectively coiled for use in cardboardcartons of various sizes. It permits the wire to be pulled. out anddispensed smoothly without twisting. One man can pull the wire upthrough walls and wherever else necessary without having to return tothe carton to untwist kinks and unmanageable deformations. It comprisesa pedestal-type stand, a rotatable carton supporting platform, andpiloting and guard means on the post above the platform which guides thefree end of the wire to govern it and minimize dispensing difficulties.

PATENTED .JUL20 I971 mm c H. m R

I In" Mai m ELECTRIC WIRE DISPENSING APPARATUS .The present inventionrelates to the broad category of winding and reeling and, moreparticularly, to a portable support ing apparatus which is characterizedby a pedestal-type stand having 'a self-standing base and aperpendicular post or standard the median portion of which is providedwith means to accommodatingly support a platform, that is, a platformwhich clampingly supports and rotates a carton in which the wire iscoiled and stored and from which the withdrawable end of the wire isguidingly payed out for unhampered use.

Stated more specifically, theinvention has to do with a selfsupportingstand having a post which is provided with properly orientated andcoordinating facilities which serve not only to balance and rotatablysupport the wire containing carton but embody specially constructedguard means on the upper end of the post by way of which the hand pulledwire is fed out for use virtually free of twisting and the attendingdispensing difficulties which are encountered when using present dayconduit wire handling procedures.

Briefly the concept has to do with supporting, unwinding and dispensingmeans, an apparatus for example, for a supply of electric wire coiled,as usual, in a cardboard carton. It is characterized by a portable standembodying a selfsupporting normally horizontal base. This base iscentrally provided with a rigid upstanding post. The median lowerportion of the post is provided with ball bearing hub means whichfunctions to support a carton seating platform. The platform is spacedfrom and rotatable in a plane parallel to the base and is equipped withmeans for releasably clamping the respective comer portions of thecardboard carton in a manner to assist in retaining the carton atop andfor simultaneous rotation with the platform. Guard means is operativelymounted on the upper end of the post and is designed and adapted togovern and guide the free end of the wire as it is hand pulled and payedout of a discharge opening which is cut for this purpose in the top wallof the carton.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention the base is ofringlilte form and has'integral coplanar radial cir cumferentiallyspaced spokes. The post or standard is perpendicular to the post whenthe base is seated horizontally on the floor or support surface.Specially constructed ball bearing races are provided in hub means onthe post in a manner to support the bracket-equipped arms which make upa reel-type platform. In addition to the uniquely performing guard meanson the upper end of the post a drum surrounds the upper part of the postand is interposed between the platform and the guard means andfacilitates stabilized functioning of the parts.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an electric wire dispensing apparatusconstructed in accordance with the invention showing the manner in whichit iserected or set up for conduit wire dispensing use.

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale in top plan and wherein the cartonfor the conduit wire is shown in place in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a section taken approximately on the plane of the horizontalsection line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the indicatingarrows.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the hub means whichsupports the central part of the platform on a median portion of thepost.

Referring to the views singly and collectively the aforementionedportable pedestal-type stand is denoted by the numeral 6. It comprises abase, more particularly, a tubular or equivalent ring 8 of requisitediameter adapted to rest on the floor or other support surface 10. Thisring is provided with equidistant circumferentially spaced radial spokes12 joined at their outer ends to the inner periphery of the ring 8 andhaving their inner ends converging and serving to support the coactinglower end portion Id of the aforementioned perpendicular standard orpost 16. A median portion 18 of the post (FIG. 4) is provided withantifriction hub means 20. More specifically the hub means comprises acollar or sleeve 22 which is fitted around and secured to the post andhas an outstanding ledgelike flange 24. This flange serves to rotatablysupport the rim portion 26 of an inverted cup 28 surrounding the postand cooperating with the flange in providing a housing for upper andlower ball races 30 with conventional ball bearings 32 as sembledtherebetween. This hub means provides a satisfactory support for theslightly elevated rotary platform 34. This platform comprises fourcoplanar outstanding arms 36 coordinated in the manner shown to providea satisfactory support for the bottom of the wire containing cardboardbox or carton 38. This bottom of the carton rests on the arms and theouter ends of the arms are provided with retainers. More specificallythe retainers comprise upstanding angle brackets 40 which arecircumferentially spaced and each of which is provided with a socketmember or sleeve 42 fitting over the arm and adjustably held by asetscrew as at 44 in FIG. 3. Thus the carton is clampingly supported forrotation and unwinding of the free end portion 46 of the conduit wire.To achieve this result it is necessary to cut a hole 48 of requisitediameter in the top wall 50 of the carton.

It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the upper end portion 52 of the post isprovided with an internally screw-threaded fixedly mounted axiallyaligned socket member 54 which serves to accommodate the attachable anddetachable screw-threaded shank 56 on the stem 58 of a loop-shapedhandle or finger grip 60. This stem can be provided with a holddownshoulder 57 to facilitate placing and retaining the aforementioned twistresisting wire guiding guard 62. This guard is concave-convex in formand ispreferably disclike in plan. The concave side 64 faces upwardlyand the convex side 66 downwardly. This convex side resides atop the topwall 68 of an insertable and removable cylindrical hollow drum 70. Thisdrum is fitted over the socket member and post and the apertured bottomwall 72 rests retentively on the interior of the apertured bottom wallof the aforementioned carton 38. The manner in which the component partsare constructed and assembled is believed to be clear particularly whencomparing FIGS. 1 and 3. The details of the hub structure are shown inFIG. 4. The details of the pedestal-type stand and platform are broughtout with particularity in FIG. 2.

The concavo-convex disclike guard 62 allows the wire 46 to be pulled outand upward at areasonably steep angle. The handle equipped means 56, 58and 6-0 and the disc and drum are assembled and the handle 60 can beused for convenience in carrying the overall assembly around.

To use the apparatus, the carton 381 has to be prepared, that is, acircular hole 48 of a diameter larger than the diameter of the guarddisc 62 has to be cut out in the manner illustrated particularly well inFIG. I. The bottom of the carton has a hole cut out in the center justlarge enough to allow it to slip down on the post and to rest on theplatform. Then the drum 70 is slipped over the post and is insertedinside of the coil or roll of wire in the carton. The disc and handle isscrewed down on the drum thus holding the carton firmly in place. Theadjustable angle brackets 40 on the outer ends of the reel or platformarms, that is the brackets 40 can be regulated to hold the carton frommoving from its given seated position.

This apparatus as is evident allows the wire to be pulled out of thecarton without twisting or corkscrewing." In fact, the electrician canpull the wire up through walls and wherever else necessary forconsiderable distances without returning to the carton to untwist knotsor kinks. Experience has shown that this apparatus speeds up wirestringing, especially on long distances and where a considerable amountof wire must necessarily be used. It will be evident therefore that theapparatus when properly used well serves the purposes for which it hasbeen devised and satisfactorily used.

- The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of, the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as new is as follows:

1. A supporting, unwinding and dispensing apparatus for a supply ofelectric wire coiled in a cardboard carton comprising a portable standembodying a self-supporting normally horizontal base centrally providedwith a rigid vertical post, a

carton seating and supporting platform mounted for free rotation on amedian portion of said post, said platform being spaced from androtatable in a plane parallel to said base and having means forreleasably clamping the respective corner portions of the carton andassisting in retaining the carton atop-and for simultaneous rotationwith said platform, and a guard operatively mounted on an upper end ofsaid post and designed and adapted to govern and guide the free end ofthe wire as it is hand pulled and payed out of a discharge opening whichis provided therefor in a top wall of said carton.

2. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 1, and incombination, a drum mounted on an upper portion of said post andinterposed between a central axial portion of said platform and anunderneath central portion of said guard.

3. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein saiddrum is cylindrical in cross section and is of a vertical heightslightly greater than the depth of the carton so that an upper endprotrudes above the level of the top wall of said carton.

4. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein saidguard comprises a concavo-convex disc having its concave side facingupwardly and its convex side facing downwardly, and manually regulatableassembling means carried by an upper end of said post and removablyclamping said disc atop a coacting upper end of said drum.

' 5. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein saiddisc is of a prescribed diameter larger than the diameter of the drum sothat the outer marginal portion overhangs and projects evenly beyond theouter peripheral surfaces of said drum.

6. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein saiddisc is of a prescribed diameter larger than the diameter of the drum sothat the outer marginal portion overhangs and projects evenly beyond theouter peripheral surfaces of said drum; said assembling means comprisingan internally screw-threaded socket member fixed atop said post, a screwhaving a shank screwed into the socket member, said screw having anupper end provided with a handling and carrying p- 7. A supporting,unwinding and dispensing apparatus for a coiled supply of electric wireconfined, as usual, in a packaging and protecting carton, said apparatuscomprising a ringlike self-standing base having coplanar radialcircumferentially spaced spokes, said base adapted to reside flatwise ona floor or similar support surface, an axial post having a lower endjoined to and connecting inner ends of said spokes, a stationary collarsurrounding and fixed to an elevated median portion of said post andhaving an outstanding ledgelike flange, an inverted hub-forming cupencircling the post and having a de pending rim flange resting andturnable on'and relative to said ledgelike flange and providing hubmeans, antifriction ball bearings operatively housed in said hub means,a carton seating and supporting reel providing a platform and embodyingcoplanar radial circumferentially spaced arms joined at inner ends tothe rim of said cup, angle brackets adjustablyand detachably mounted onthe respective outer ends of said arms and adapted to retentively gripcoacting corners of the carton when it is seated for use on theplatform, a significant upper portion of said post extending above thelevel of said platform, and means carried by the extending upper portionof said post for assisting in dispensing and paying out the wireprogressively and for unhampered remote controlled use by an electrithecarton in a manner that the upper portion is capable of extendingthrough and beyond an opening which is cut in the upper wall of thecarton, said means also embodying an attachable and detachable guard,said guard being of concavoconvex form and comprising a disc, said discbeing of a diameter greater than the diameter of the upper end of thedrum and having outer marginal edge portions overhanging the peripheralsurfaces of the drum.

9. The supporting unwinding and dispensing apparatus defined in andaccording to claim 7, and wherein the aforementioned means which iscarried by the extending upper end portion of the post embodies acylindrical readily applicable and removable drum, said drum beingprovided with apertured end portions fitted over component portions ofthe post, said drum being of a vertical height greater than the depth ofthe carton in a manner that the upper portion is capable of extendingthrough and beyond an opening which is cut in the upper wall of thecarton, said means also embodying an attachable and detachable guard,said guard being of concavoconvex form and comprising a disc, said discbeing of a diameter greater than the diameter of the upper end of thedrum and having outer marginal edge portions overhanging the peripheralsurfaces of the drum, and said means also including a handle and ascrew-threaded shank and means for coupling the screw-threaded shank toa socket member on the upper end of the standard, and the upper end ofsaid shank being provided with a handle.

1. A supporting, unwinding and dispensing apparatus for a supply ofelectric wire coiled in a cardboard carton comprising a portable standembodying a self-supporting normally horizontal base centrally providedwith a rigid vertical post, a carton seating and supporting platformmounted for free rotation on a median portion of said post, saidplatform being spaced from and rotatable in a plane parallel to saidbase and having means for releasably clamping the respective cornerportions of the carton and assisting in retaining the carton atop andfor simultaneous rotation with said platform, and a guard operativelymounted on an upper end of said post and designed and adapted to governand guide the free end of the wire as it is hand pulled and payed out ofa discharge opening which is provided therefor in a top wall of saidcarton.
 2. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 1, and incombination, a drum mounted on an upper portion of said post andinterposed between a central axial portion of said platform and anunderneath central portion of said guard.
 3. The apparatus defined inand according to claim 2, and wherein said drum is cylindrical in crosssection and is of a vertical height slightly greater than the depth ofthe carton so that an upper end protrudes above the level of the topwall of said carton.
 4. The apparatus defined in and according to claim2, and wherein said guard comprises a concavo-convex disc having itsconcave side facing upwardly and its convex side facing downwardly, andmanually regulatable assembling means carried by an upper end of saidpost and removably clamping said disc atop a coacting upper end of saiddrum.
 5. The apparatus defined in and according to claim 4, and whereinsaid disc is of a prescribed diameter larger than the diameter of thedrum so that the outer marginal portion overhangs and projects evenlybeyond the outer peripheral surfaces of said drum.
 6. The apparatusdefined in and according to claim 4, and wherein said disc is of aprescribed diameter larger than the diameter of the drum so that theouter marginal portion overhangs and projects evenly beyond the outerperipheral surfaces of said drum; said assembling means comprising aninternally screw-threaded socket member fixed atop said post, a screwhaving a shank screwed into the socket member, said screw having anupper end provided with a handling and carrying grip.
 7. A supporting,unwinding and dispensing apparatus for a coiled supply of electric wireconfined, as usual, in a packaging and protecting carton, said apparatuscomprising a ringlike self-standing base having coplanar radialcircumferentially spaced spokes, said base adapted to reside flatwise ona floor or similar support surface, an axial post having a lower endjoined to and connecting inner ends of said spokes, a stationary collarsurrounding and fixed to an elevated median portion of said post andhaving an outstanding ledgelike flange, an inverted hub-forming cupencircling the post and having a depending rim flange resting andturnable on and relative to said ledgelike flange and providing hubmeans, antifriction ball bearings operatively housed in said hub means,a carton seating and supporting reel providing a platform and embodyingcoplanar radial circumferentially spaced arms joined at inner ends tothe rim of said cup, angle brackets adjustably and detachably mounted onthe respective outer ends of said arms and adapted to retentively gripcoacting corners of the carton when it is seated for use on theplatform, a significant upper portion of said post extending above thelevel of said platform, and means carried by the extending upper portionof said post for assisting in dispensing and paying out the wireprogressively and for unhampered remote controlled use by anelectrician, whereby to speed up wire stringing requirements.
 8. Thesupporting unwinding and dispensing apparatus defined in and accordingto claim 7, and wherein the aforementioned means which is carried by theextending upper end portion of the post embodies a cylindrical readilyapplicable and removable drum, said drum being provided with aperturedend portions fitted over component portions of the post, said drum beingof a vertical height greater than the depth of the carton in a mannerthat the upper portion is capable of extending through and beyond anopening which is cut in the upper wall of the carton, said means alsoembodying an attachable and detachable guard, said guard being ofconcavo-convex form and comprising a disc, said disc being of a diametergreater than the diameter of the upper end of the drum and having outermarginal edge portions overhanging the peripheral surfaces of the drum.9. The supporting unwinding and dispensing apparatus defined in andaccording to claim 7, and wherein the aforementioned means which iscarried by the extending upper end portion of the post embodies acylindrical readily applicable and removable drum, said drum beingprovided with apertured end portions fitted over component portions ofthe post, said drum being of a vertical height greater than the depth ofthe carton in a manner that the upper portion is capable of extendingthrough and beyond an opening which is cut in the upper wall of thecarton, said means also embodying an attachable and detachable guard,said guard being of concavo-convex form and comprising a disc, said discbeing of a diameter greater than the diameter of the upper end of thedrum and having outer marginal edge portions overhanging the peripheralsurfaces of the drum, and said means also including a handle and ascrew-threaded shank and means for coupling the screw-threaded shank toa socket member on the upper end of the standard, and the upper end ofsaid shank being provided with a handle.